Circuits, methods, and apparatus provide for the storage of texture descriptors in a graphics memory. Since the texture descriptors are stored in a graphics memory, they do not need to be stored in the graphics processor itself, thus reducing graphics processor circuitry and cost. This allows more textures to be associated with each graphics primitive, thereby improving image realism.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of generating a graphics image comprising: receiving a first texture descriptor, a first hint, and a first command from a graphics pipeline, the first command using the first texture descriptor; retrieving a second texture descriptor identified by the first hint; retrieving a first portion of a shader program comprising: a second command using the second texture descriptor; and a third command using a third texture descriptor; retrieving the third texture descriptor; retrieving a first texture identified by the first texture descriptor; using the first texture to generate a first pixel value; and providing the first pixel value to a display.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a second hint used for the retrieving of the third texture descriptor.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first texture descriptor is stored in a first register, the second texture descriptor is stored in a second register, and the third texture descriptor is stored in a third register.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising: retrieving a second portion of the shader program comprising a fourth command using a fourth texture descriptor; and retrieving the fourth texture descriptor, wherein the fourth texture descriptor is stored in the second register.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a second hint used for the retrieving of the third texture descriptor.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: retrieving a second texture identified by the second texture descriptor; and retrieving a third texture identified by the third texture descriptor.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: displaying the first pixel using the display.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second texture descriptor is retrieved using a base address and an index.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second texture descriptor is retrieved by accessing a location in an external memory, wherein the location stores a pointer to the second texture descriptor.
10. A method of generating a graphics image comprising: receiving a first texture descriptor, a first hint, and a first command, the first command using the first texture descriptor; retrieving a first texture identified by the first texture descriptor; retrieving a second texture descriptor identified by the first hint; retrieving a second texture identified by the second texture descriptor; retrieving a first portion of a shader program comprising: a second command using the second texture descriptor; and a third command using a third texture descriptor; retrieving the third texture descriptor; using the first texture and the second texture to generate a first pixel value; and providing the first pixel value for display.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising: displaying the first pixel.
12. The method of claim 10 further comprising: generating a second hint used for the retrieving of the third texture descriptor.
13. The method of claim 10 further comprising: receiving a second hint used for the retrieving of the third texture descriptor.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the first texture descriptor is stored in a first register, the second texture descriptor is stored in a second register, and the third texture descriptor is stored in a third register.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising: retrieving a second portion of the shader program comprising a fourth command using a fourth texture descriptor; and retrieving the fourth texture descriptor, wherein the fourth texture descriptor is stored in the second register.
16. The method of claim 10 further comprising: retrieving a third texture identified by the third texture descriptor.
17. A method of generating a graphics image comprising: receiving a first texture descriptor; receiving a first hint; retrieving a first texture identified by the first texture descriptor; retrieving a second texture descriptor identified by the first hint; retrieving a second texture identified by the second texture descriptor; using the first texture and the second texture in generating a first pixel value; and providing the first pixel value for display.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: displaying the first pixel.
19. The method of claim 17 further comprising: retrieving a first portion of a shader program comprising: a first command using the first texture descriptor; and a second command using a second texture descriptor.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein the second texture descriptor is retrieved using a base address and an index.
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December 12, 2007
April 13, 2010
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